The Anti-IF Campaign: less conditions, more clarity in code

In programming, the if statement is one of the most common but also most overused constructs. Many developers end up writing complicated, hard-to-maintain code clogged with nested conditions. The Anti-IF Campaign was born to counter this trend by promoting fewer conditions and encouraging clearer, simpler, and more readable solutions.

Conditions—especially when nested or excessive—create cognitive complexity, increase the likelihood of bugs, and make code harder to extend or modify. Reducing or eliminating if statements often means adopting stronger design principles, such as object-oriented programming, polymorphism, and design patterns like Strategy or State, as well as early return techniques to avoid deep nesting.

Code with fewer conditions is more linear, predictable, and easier to test. It also improves collaboration among developers, shortens onboarding time, and raises overall software quality. The Anti-IF Campaign does not mean eliminating if statements at all costs, but using them judiciously and avoiding turning them into an inextricable maze.

Adopting this philosophy leads to more mindful coding, where code clarity is paramount. Ultimately, fewer conditions mean less confusion and more robust, maintainable software.